“Enkiri-enmusubi” (縁切り縁結び) refers to the Japanese cultural concept of cutting off bad ties or connections (enkiri) and forming or strengthening good ones (enmusubi). This practice is often associated with specific shrines in Japan where people seek divine intervention to end unhealthy relationships, habits, or circumstances and promote positive changes or outcomes. The traditional shrines typically have a large stone monument with a hole in the center in which a person crawls through to symbolize the change.
I visited one of the most famous shrines dedicated to enkiri-enmusubi, the Yasui Konpiragu Shrine, in Kyoto. Crawling through a small hole in the giant stone marks the passage from the enkiri to the enmusubi, from the bad to the good. At this shrine, I wrote my prayer on a small piece of paper called a “katashiro,” which I then stuck to the stone monument to symbolize the severing of undesirable ties and the creation of favorable ones. At the time, I was anxious about being gone from home, business, kids, and pets, travel logistics, and such, so I chose to let loose of worry and have faith that all was good and to focus on being present in my adventures, before wiggling through the sacred stone. It worked.
Enkiri-enmusubi for Your Health
I got to thinking about this concept and noted how well it fit with another of my favorite Japanese terms, called “Kaizen“, meaning incremental change. The key to both of these is making small routine changes that accumulate, leading to significant improvement. Quite often I see patients not making any lifestyle changes as they are overwhelmed with everything they need to do to improve their routine. It’s sort of an “if we can’t be perfect then we won’t even try” attitude. Or there are so many areas to work on it is hard to know where to start. I think we can all relate to this to some extent.
Combining Kaizen and Enkiri-enmusubi makes sense and can help overcome the paralysis for change that seems to be our nature. If Kaizen is the process of making change then enkiri-enmusubi might represent the choice of what needs to change.
Ask yourself what is one small bad habit, relationship, situation, or void in your life, and what is one small way to change that for the better, starting now. Just one small thing. Maybe it’s eating less junk food and changing for something healthy, just once today. Or getting off the couch and going for a short walk. Perhaps incorporating a new daily habit, such as my morning yoga routine, where none existed before. Apply Kaizen as a conscious intention every day. Consider enkiri-enmusubi as a template to identify changes from bad to good.
The March of 1000 Marbles
Another favorite parable of mine… Imagine 1 marble representing 1 month of your life. If we live to about 80 years old, that’s roughly 1000 marbles. Now picture putting those marbles in a jar and every month taking one out. That marble represents one month of your life. Visualize holding that marble in your hand and consider the value of the month it represents. Ask yourself, how did I live my life this month? We only get 1000, if we’re lucky and if we play our cards right, so make every month count.
These practices reflects Japan’s holistic view of relationships, life, and health and the belief that mental and spiritual energy can be directed to create positive change, and to maintain harmony and balance in life by releasing the negative and embracing the positive. Check out my article on the Keys to Great Health for ideas on where to apply enkiri-enmusubi in your life!
Author
Scott Rollins, MD, is Board Certified with the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women, thyroid and adrenal disorders, fibromyalgia and other complex medical conditions. He is founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (www.imcwc.com) and Bellezza Laser Aesthetics (www.bellezzalaser.com). Call (970) 245-6911 for an appointment or more information.
